HUGE IRRIGATION WORKS.

Taranaki Daily News, 23 February 1917, Page 3

HUGE IRRIGATION WORKS.

Sydney, Feb. 8. Tlio Mtirrnmhidgee irirgation urea is known outside of New South Wales and Ausfnlia: one has to go to North America to find any schtj-na rivalling it in bigness of conception. A large and important Government Department, for years now, has been at work diverting the -waters of the and other streams on to an arid area of thousands of square miles, and a great slice of this desert is already covered with vegetation, and supporting thousands of people. Right in the centre of it, there has sprung up the litth town of Leeton, with its streets and r'ater-sup-ply and electric light system. Griffth end Golgeldrie, Yanco and Mirrool are niher centres coming steadily into being One or the biggest works' of the irrf gation scheme is only now neariiig completion. This is (i;e huge Burrinjuck. i Dam, which is to supplement the great Cataract Dam. The Dam is not yet built to its full height, but already it has so banked up tl o water that it has formed a wide picturesque lake, and it renders navigation by hiumh practicable for a distance of 25 miles up the stream, to a point only ten miles from Yass.

Tile water from the Burrinjack passed down tin Murrumbidgee River for a distance of over 200 miles, to Bcrembed Weir, where it is diverted into the main canal for irrgation 'settlement. Then it travels 100 utiles along this canal to the township of Griffith.

The majority of the irrigation settlers are prosperous. But the special conditions under which they live require special qualities, and so there have been many failures. Men have come forward to say that the area will never be self-supporting, but this is distinctly a pessimistic view. The Government has sunk too much money in the scheme to allow it to fail. The sum runs into incrHW.r> millions, and it has provided roVi and railways, schools, and factories (canning, dairy and bacon), and a horde of ■ inspectors and instructors. "Muoiirbidgee," said an American visitor "will be either the bigirest white elephant, or tho biggest irrigation succes. south of the line."